Hospital blunder deaths up 60%

6th January 2009

Statistics obtained by the Liberal Democrats have shown a 60% increase in the number of patient deaths attributed to error in NHS hospitals over the last two years.

There were 3,645 deaths at hospitals because of mistakes in 2007/08. Norman Lamb, the Lib Dem's health spokesman, said: "Most of these deaths are avoidable and completely unacceptable. Along with very high standards in most hospitals, there are also areas of completely unacceptable practice."